Debra J. Rahn
Headquarters, Washington, DC September 22, 2000
(Phone: 202/358-1638)
Carlos Fontanot
Moscow, Russia
(Phone: 256/961-6226 or 7 095 586-7560)
NOTE TO EDITORS: N00-46
PRESS ACCREDITATION PROCEDURES FOR EXPEDITION ONE CREW LAUNCH FROM BAIKONUR
COSMODROME
The first resident, or Expedition, crew will be launched in a Soyuz capsule
to the International Space Station (ISS) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome,
Kazakhstan, no earlier than Oct. 30, 2000, to become the first permanent
residents of the new research facility.
Expedition One Commander Bill Shepherd, Soyuz Commander Yuri Gidzenko and Flight
Engineer Sergei Krikalev will arrive at the ISS two days later for docking and
the start of non-stop human habitation of the outpost.
The Russian Aviation and Space Agency (Rosaviakosmos) and RSC Energia are
arranging a news media trip to Baikonur from Oct. 27 to 30 to cover the crew's
pre-flight and launch activities. News media wishing to cover the launch must
request press accreditation no later than Sept. 29 as follows.
U.S. news media representatives should send a fax to:
Ms. Debra Rahn
PAO for International Relations
NASA Headquarters
Washington, DC 20546
Fax: 202/358-4329
e-mail: debra.rahn@hq.nasa.gov
The fax must be on the organization's letterhead with the media representative's
full name, title, organization, mailing address, e-mail address, telephone and
fax numbers, passport number with issuance and expiration dates, date and place
of birth, citizenship and city where the visa will be issued, and the list of
equipment with the cost and weight of each item for customs. All media
representatives also must fax a copy of the first page of his or her passport
along with this information.
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Canadian, European and Japanese news media representatives should contact their
nations' space agency public affairs offices to request press accreditation as
follows.
Canadian Space Agency:
Anna Kapiniari
Manager, Public and Media Relations
St. Hubert, Quebec, Canada
Tel: 450/926-4350
Fax: 450/926-4352
e-mail: Kapiniari@space.gc.ca
European Space Agency:
Mr. Franco Bonacina
Media Relations
Paris, France
Tel: 33 1 5369 7713
Fax: 33 1 5369 7690
e-mail: fbonacin@hq.esa.fr
National Space Development Agency of Japan:
Keiichi Yamada
Public Relations Office
Tokyo, Japan
Tel:81-3-3438-6104
Fax:81-3-5402-6513
e-mail: yamada.keiichi@nasda.go.jp
Each space agency will submit a list of its news media to RSC Energia and the
Russian Aviation and Space Agency. A dual-entry visa is required for anyone
traveling to Baikonur. RSC Energia will provide letters of invitation for news
media requiring visas.
Russian visa forms are available in newsrooms at NASA's Johnson Space Center,
Houston, TX; Kennedy Space Center, FL; and Headquarters, Washington, DC.
Additional details follow.
Cost: $ 2,200 U.S. dollars per person. This includes round-trip bus
transportation from the Russian Aviation and Space Agency to Vnukovo 3 airport,
round-trip air transportation from Moscow to Baikonur, hotel accommodations,
local transportation, and meals. Upon receipt of the press accreditation request,
RSC Energia will send individual invoices confirming the cost of the trip and the
bank information for transferring the money. Payment must be transferred by Oct.
16, 2000.
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Tour of Baikonur: Arrangements have been made for the news media to cover the
rollout of the Soyuz-TM to the launch pad and its pad preparations; a tour of
Energia and Buran facilities; and a crew news conference the day before launch
and launch day activities involving the crew.
Communication Equipment: Satellite phones are prohibited at the Soyuz launch
site and may be confiscated by authorities. GSM 900 telephones are approved for
use at Baikonur. GSM 900 can be purchased or leased in Moscow.
Baikonur Communication Center: Located in the Soyuz Integration Building
(Building 254). There are international telephones, data lines and fax machines
available.
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